The Scottish Parliament is breaking new ground with a scheme that will see First Minister’s Question Time interpreted for deaf people. During the pilot British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters will sign for deaf people in the public gallery at The Mound.The pilot sessions will take place on successive Thursdays, beginning next week and running until March 18th. During that time members of the public who use BSL are being encouraged to attend the Question Time sessions and provide feedback. 

New measures to ensure all local councils can handle planning applications electronically have been announced by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It is setting up an integrated programme to bring together a number of projects and initiatives designed to drive forward the e-planning agenda.Planning Minister Keith Hill said communities across the country would benefit from advances in e-planning with a faster and more efficient planning system.